The present invention relates generally to a method of making food products from a bird and, more particularly, to a method of making food products from the wing and breast of a bird and the food products made in accordance with the method.
Birds, such as poultry and fowl, are conventionally eviscerated, dressed and sold either as a whole bird or as severed parts, i.e., breasts, wings, drumsticks, thighs, etc. In recent years there has been an increasing demand for innovative meat products, particularly products that require less time for preparation and which include little or no waste. There has also been an increasing demand for meat products which are boneless or substantially boneless, making such products easier to consume. Hence, products such as boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chicken tenders, etc. have enjoyed great commercial success. Other innovative products, such as hot wings, buffalo wings, and other hand-held “snack foods” have also attained popularity for the respective bird parts from which they are prepared. However, such products, particularly products made from the wing of a bird, contain a relatively small meat to bone ratio and, as a result, require a substantial amount of work to remove the meat from the bone for consumption. The present invention comprises an improved method of cutting a bird, particularly the wing and the breast of a bird, to provide a combined wing and breast product having a substantially increased amount of meat thereon. Additional more uniformly sized breast meat products are also formed as a result of the present method.